BY MIRA THAKKAR*
Prom, a popular dance hosted by high schools for juniors and seniors, has been around for a century and brings together students for a night of fun and memories. An important part of the event for many is choosing a special outfit for the night, especially since most high school students do not have many formal occasions to dress up for. Some opt for shiny, floor-length gowns, while others go for simpler floral dresses. A new prom fashion trend, however, is taking high schools by storm: Indian lehengas. Many South Asian youth are using prom as an opportunity to connect with their culture and show off a unique look. High school student Saara Venkatesh chose a pink Indian lehenga to connect with her culture.
“I grew up in Connecticut, and I felt like our culture was not very well represented because we were surrounded by Western culture,” Venkatesh explained. “Over the past couple of years, I’ve been learning more about my culture because the population here has a much larger South Indian community. As I grew up, I realized I’d been rejecting my culture this entire time, and I want to be able to represent it.”
Venkatesh’s journey toward connecting with her culture was a long and intentional process. It first began when her school’s marching band had an Indian-inspired season that focused on incorporating elements of Indian culture into its music. This, combined with regular temple visits with her family, helped her gain a newfound appreciation for her heritage after moving. One way she expressed that was by regularly wearing bindis to school and even to graduation.
“No matter where I go, I love wearing my bindi,” Venkatesh said. “I just really appreciate our culture a lot and wanted to show it.”
Wearing the lehenga also helped Venkatesh build self-confidence and self-esteem. Although she did not face discrimination because of her choice, she still took a step forward by standing out in front of her entire school. As someone who once avoided drawing attention to herself, following what makes her happy has helped her realize the importance of being her own person.
“I just realized it’s my life, and I’m going to do what I want to do,” Venkatesh emphasized. “I feel like that should be everyone’s mindset, and no one else should control what you do.”
Venkatesh believes the trend will continue to grow, especially as more people post photos of their prom lehengas on social media. However, with the growth of the trend and its spread to non-Indian communities comes discussion about the difference between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation.
“Cultural appreciation is when you wear a lehenga and acknowledge that it is a lehenga,” Venkatesh explained. “But if you try to Westernize it — like I’ve seen people joking about ‘Scandinavian scarves’ when it’s actually called a dupatta — that feels more like cultural appropriation.”
For Venkatesh, wearing a lehenga to prom was the culmination of a journey of reconnecting with her roots, while also serving as a promise to continue exploring her culture in the future. The prom lehenga trend continues to grow, reflecting how young people are reconnecting with their identities through fashion.
*Mira Thakkar is an intern at NRI Pulse.
